​Nicolino Dominates, Bats Tame Bulls

Jared AndersonMay 26, 2018

Photo by Jared Anderson​

Nicolino shines on the mound, goes for 8.2 innings

Justin Nicolino displayed one of the best outings on the mounds for the Louisville Bats this season as they defeated Durham 5-3. Nicolino pitched a dominating 8.2 innings to earn his second win of the season and even the series at one apiece.

Louisville, who celebrated Cheers to Bourbon Night, changed their name temporarily to the Mashers and repped a baby blue uniform for the night.

The Mashers got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning with a pair of runs. Mason Williams singled to right field and was driven in by Hernan Iribarren's double. Irabarren advanced to third on the throw home and crossed the plate one batter later when DJ Peterson doubled to center field.

In the fifth inning, the Mashers added a pair of runs to multiply their lead. Back-to-back doubles by Gabriel Guerrero and Chadwick Tromp led off the inning with a run. Phillip Ervin hit a two-out double to drive in Tromp.

Ervin walked in the seventh and then stole second. He later raced home on a fielding error by the Bulls to add insurance for the Mashers.

Durham rallied with two outs in the top of the ninth, but their comeback fell shy when the tying run became stranded at second base. The Bulls loaded the bases on back-to-back singles and a hit by pitch. A two-run single ended Nicolino's night. Kevin Quackenbush relieved Nicolino on the mound and surrendered a one-run double before forcing a strikeout to secure the win and earn the save.

Louisville's night was highlighted by Nicolino's (2-2) performance on the mound. The lefty allowed three runs on eight hits with four strikeouts in 8.2 innings. Quackenbush earned his fifth save of the season while lowering his ERA to 0.68.

Offensively, Louisville tallied seven hits, five of them extra-base hits, en route to five runs. Guerrero had a multi-hit game, recording a single and a double.

Louisville will revert back to the Bats tomorrow night at 6:00 p.m., when they face Durham in the third of the four-game series.